Mark Hunt: 'I Had a Few Discrepancies' over Treatment from UFC

UFC heavyweight Mark Hunt, who will face former champion Junior dos Santos on May 25 at UFC 160, said he originally turned down the fight—to the dismay of much of the MMA community—because of problems with the way the UFC was treating him.

"I had a few discrepancies about the way I was being treated and stuff," Hunt said Monday on The MMA Hour broadcast with host Ariel Helwani. "Dana and I talked about it, and he fixed the problem."

Hunt did not delve deeply into the specific nature of those discrepancies, but he indicated that trouble getting event tickets was part of the problem.

"I can’t get one more extra ticket?" he said. "I got four tickets...Is that not fair or what?"

Hunt, 38, is a former kickboxing champion and is popular with fans for his devastating knockout stroke. In his 9-7 pro MMA career, Hunt has six wins by knockout or technical knockout. He is currently riding a four-fight win streak in the UFC.

Hunt received the opportunity to fight dos Santos, who lost his UFC heavyweight title to Cain Velasquez in December, after dos Santos' original opponent, Alistair Overeem, had to pull out of the bout after sustaining an injury.

"It’s bad news that Alistair got injured, but I’m so glad and lucky to get the opportunity to fight Junior dos Santos," Hunt said Monday. "Good news for me."

In his last fight, Hunt scored a jaw-breaking knockout of up-and-comer Stefan Struve.

Like Hunt, dos Santos is a popular fighter well-known for his thunder-fisted, head-hunting approach to fighting. Most observers are expecting a major stand-up war when Hunt and dos Santos meet in May.

Hunt reiterated on Monday his willingness to take any fight—assuming there are no lingering "discrepancies" around the situation.

"I was always down for the fight [with dos Santos]," he said. "It’s an opportunity. Opportunities very rarely come...I'm so amped about it."